WELCOME, as I invite you to take a look at our project proposal discussing online privacy and security. From identity theft to cyber bullying, we will use creative ways to educate teens about these topics.

To search for an exact word or phrase, simply put quotation marks around the query. This makes certain words stand out so Google can find the precise terms you are looking for. For example, I want to obtain more news about the Calgary snow storm that is commonly being called “Snowtember”. When I Google this term without quotations, the second result is about South Dakota. When I search “Snowtember” the results involve the Calgary stories.

2. How would you search for something on a specific site?

In order to find something on a specific site, you would use the following format:

topicsite:domain

Make sure there are no spaces between each word. As an example, if I wanted to learn more about aliens from a reputable source, I would search alienssite:nasa

3. How would you correctly search for a definition?

The most efficient way to search for a definition is to type define into the search bar followed by the term you are looking up. For example:

4. How would you search for a specific product available within a specific price range?

To do this you must first type in the product you are looking for, followed by the lowest price point, two periods and then the highest price point. So if you want to buy new boots for the winter you could search Sorel $100..$200.

5. How would you search for a specific filetype?

To search for a specific file type you enter the topic you are researching followed by the filetype of your choice. For example, if I am doing a research paper on jelly fish and I wanted a PDF. source, I would search Jellyfish: PDF. As you can see by my results, I have located many PDF sources.

6. How would you include or ignore words in your search?

To find pages containing the words you want to include put a plus in front of it and put a minus in front of the words you want to ignore.

If I didn’t specify I wasn’t looking for kale and lettuce, I received dozens of results of green salads with fruits in them. I am looking specifically for fruit only salads.

7. How would you find related pages?

There are two ways a user can find related pages. First, you can type in related: followed by the term you are searching. For example: related: Toronto tourism water. This brings up a list of websites about water activities you can do in the city on a hot summer day.

The second way to find related information is at the bottom of the page. After you search the topic Google provides a list of related topics that looks like this:

8. How would you find pages containing one of several words you are interested in, though not all of them?

To do this you put the terms in quotation marks and separate them with a capitalized OR. For example if you were searching about a bird with two names you could search “Florida Scrub-Jay” OR “Western Scrub-Jay”.

9. How would you find the time in another country?

To find the time in another country use the format:

Time in: city, province/state, country

10. How would you find out how many Egyptian pounds you get for $20 Canadian dollars?

To find this conversion you would search 20 CND to EGP. Google offers a conversion module where you can convert other types of currency.

So long is the tradition of pen to paper as we’ve exchanged it for e-mail. This is exciting right? But how do we use it? To provide assistance, here are some netiquette tips on being a professional e-mailer.

The E-mail Address

Take a look at your current e-mail address. Does it associate to the name of your favourite band? Are there any numbers at the end of it including your lucky seven or the date of your birth? Is it completely unrelated to your name at all? If you answered yes to any of these questions, understand this: it’s unacceptable to use silly e-mail addresses outside personal correspondence. Create a new account using only your first and last name.

Grammar and Punctuation

Acronyms, abbreviations and slang aren’t strangers to the WWW (World Wide Web). Still, refrain from sending your professor a message like this: “OMG, your lecture today was sweet. WTF is up with this cloud thing tho…” This is an exaggeratedly bad response, but you understand what I’m saying. Also word processors have spell check, so take advantage of it! If you want to be taken seriously, you need to at least appear literate. Contrary to the trend, your is not the same as you’re.

Emoticons

Apple has created the perfect emoji for every occasion. Although they can help gauge the intent of a post, anger, sarcasm, happiness etc., emoticons make a response too personal. The clever wink you sent to your co-worker could be misinterpreted as too suggestive. By sending an encouraging smile to your student you have initiated a desire for friendship. To remain formal, it’s best to avoid using emoticons.

Congratulations on your first clicks to becoming an e-mail user. Now go ahead and tell your friends you don’t actually need oven mitts to receive Hotmail.